MDC-T vets warn Nelson Chamisa

SOME founding MDC-T members calling themselves party veterans have vowed to block the party’s organising secretary Nelson Chamisa’s quest from being elected into the standing committee at the elective congress set for October.

SOME founding MDC-T members calling themselves party veterans have vowed to block the party’s organising secretary Nelson Chamisa’s quest from being elected into the standing committee at the elective congress set for October.

NQOBANI NDLOVU STAFF REPORTER The MDC-T veterans’ association (MDC-VA) is engaged in a bitter war with Chamisa after the former minister dismissed them as a bogus grouping during a party structures crisis meeting held in Bulawayo last Saturday.

Chamisa argued that there was no organisation called the MDC-VA citing the party’s constitution.

He also argued that having such an organisation caused divisions between the old guard and those that joined the party recently because the struggle was not yet over. Victor Zunza, the MDC-VA national chairperson, told Southern Eye that Chamisa wanted to silence them to ensure that he got rid of any would-be backers of those contesting him for top party positions at the congress.

Chamisa is reportedly eyeing the secretary-general’s position that fell vacant following the mutiny of Tendai Biti and other party members under the banner of the MDC-T renewal team, calling for a changing of the guard. MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora is also allegedly eyeing the secretary- general’s position.

“He is shooting himself in the foot. He will be surprised after congress to see himself being an ordinary card-carrying member of the party just because there is no way that the MDC-VA will support such a character to be a secretary-general,” Zunza said in an interview.

The MDC-VA was formed in 2008 to look into the welfare of party victims of political violence residing in Zimbabwe and abroad. The organisation claims that it has been taking care of widows and orphans of party members who died due to political violence.

“We are waiting for the congress to come so that we call a spade a spade and block Chamisa. It is high time that Chamisa respects the victims and the blood that was shed by the departed party cadrés.

We are going to continue to show solidarity behind our patron, but will not support divisive characters,” Zunza added.

Chamisa has said he is not eyeing the secretary-general’s position, but would accept the position if “the people say so”.

Last Sunday, he told Southern Eye that he did not support the MDC-VA because the struggle was still ongoing. He said it was very divisive for some people to call themselves veterans and others omafikizolo.